Marilyn Quayle meets the press: Marilyn Loses

Abstract

Analysis of forty newspaper articles appearing in major daily newspapers about Marilyn Quayle, wife of the vice‐presidential candidate and then, wife of the vice‐president reveals the difficulties facing contemporary political spouses as they attempt to break through an established paradigm in which women belong in the private sphere while men are placed in the public sphere. As Marilyn Quayle combined a political and public role with a traditional domestic role, she found herself facing highly critical media reports. These reports focused on the themes of Quayle's clothing, her intelligence and her advisory position to Dan Quayle. Descriptions of her clothing, hairdo, skirt size etc. served to confine her to a traditional role, but when Quayle stepped into a public role appearing as highly intelligent and an influential adviser to her candidate husband, media reports were critical. Additionally, Marilyn Quayle's publicly stated dislike of the press and its coverage violated political protocol and hence b...